Manuscript-holder.



J. TRIPLETT.

MANUSCRIPT HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1912.

1,080,502, Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

6 61mm fig'vleii,

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFTQE.

JAMES TRIPLETT, OF COLUMBIA, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO A. D.PATTESON, OF COLUMBIA, KENTUCKY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2,1913.

Application filed April 20, 1912. Serial No. 692,105.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, James 'lmrnnrtr, a citizen of the United States,residing at Columbia, in the county of Adair and State of Kentucky, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in lMlanuscriptllolders, of whichthe following is a specification.

The general object of the invention is to obviate the turning by thereader, of the various leaves of a manuscript while the readingtherefrom is in progress; and to this end the invention consists incertain improved constructions, arrangements and combinations ofdevices, which will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed outin the claim.

Other objects will appear and be better understood from that embodimentof my invention of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which;

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection. Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section.

In the drawings a indicates a frame of any suitable material, such asmetal, and of any suitable shape, such as rectangular. The base 5 ofthis frame is of such size as to prevent the frame from toppling overwhile in use and the bearing surface of the base flat so that it willrest evenly on the holder of an ordinary lecture stand or pulpit, andsmooth so as not to scratch or abradc the stand, and the length of theframe is such as to admit of the extension horizontally of a section ofpaper approximating the length of the ordinary sheet of manuscriptbetween its ends.

The manuscript 6 consists of a continuous sheet of paper of less widththan the frame a. The matter to be read is printed or written on oneface of the sheet and it will be understood, of course, that the lengthof the sheet will be determined by the amount-of reading matter which itis to carry.

l/Vhen the manuscript is prepared it is coiled upon a let-off in theform of a drum or roll 7. This drum or roll 7 carries a clip 8 beneathwhich one end of the manuscript 6 is tucked. A shaft 9 having bearingsin the opposite sides 10-10 of the frame, extends loosely through thedrum 7 and has fastened to it a wheel 11 which carries a spring-presseddog or pawl 12 which ongages with the teeth of a ratchet 13 secured toone end of the drum 7 and coiipe'ating with the pawl to preventindependent turning of the drum in one direction on the shaft 9.

The manuscript is directed from the drum over a table 14- which preventsthe manic script from being accidentally depressed and torn. lVhen thereader has occasion to keep note of a certain line on the exposedportion of the manuscript by placing his finger on the line, which, asis well-knmvn, is frequently done when the reader looks at his audienceand makes remarks supplementing matter in the manuscript. The tableextends substantially tangentially of the drum 7 and is suitablysupported by a post 15, rising from the base 5 of the frame. Indirecting the manuscript over the table the said nianuscript is insertedthrough guides 16--1(3 at the opposite ends of the table, and from theguide remote from the drum 7 the manuscript is directed onto a take-upin the form of a drum 17. The drum has a clip 18 under which the end ofthe manuscript is tucked and a shaft 19 to which the drum is secured,serves to support the drum and has its opposite end portions rotatablymounted in bearings in the sides 1010 of the frame (I. The take-up ordrum 17 is turned in the same direction as the drum 7 by means of apinion 20 fast on the shaft 19 and a toothed wheel 21 on a shaft 22which has bearings in one of the sides 10 of the frame and a bracket 23carried by the said side. A dog or pawl 24; is held by gravity and aspring 25 in contact with a ratchet wheel 26 on the shaft 22 and a pivot27 carried by the section 28 of an operating lever, serves as a supportfor the dog 24. A pivot 29 in a side of the frame a, supports one end ofthe section 28 of the operating lever and a spring 30 presses upwardlyon the opposite end of the operating lever and serves to hold the latterso that the dog carried thereby will normally engage with the top oruppermost tooth of the ratchet 26. The section 31 of the operating leverwhich is pivoted to the free end of the section 28, is projectedupwardly and at its upper end carries a button 32 which, when pressureis applied by the finger of the operator, causes the sections of the oaerating lever to move downwardly and there iy move.

the dog for a distance sufficient to turn the ratchet 26 a quarter of arevolution or approximate y so.

The gearing connection between the shafts 19 and 22 is such as to turnthe drum 17 for a full revolution or approximately so and the drummeasures in circumference ap proximately the same as the table 14. Thus,it will be seen that when the reading of the matter of that portion ofthe manuscript overlying the table is about finished, an equal amount ofnew or unread matter may be brought into view by pressing clownwardly asfar as possible on the button 82. This operation, namely that ofpressing the button 82, is performed upon the completion of the readingof each exposed section of the manuscript. Upon the completion of thereading of the last section of the manuscript, the dog 24 is lifted fromengagement with the ratchet 26 and the shaft 9 turned by the crankhandle 33 so as to unwind the manuscript from the take-up. This done,the manuscript is unrolled by the operator, from the let-off or drum 7.

The crank handle 34: on the shaft 19 is for the purpose of turning thetakeup when the manuscript is first connected thereto and is turneduntil the first section of reading matter is over the table It.

hen the operating lever is pressed clownwardly as far as it will go itmay be held in this position by moving the section 31 toward theadjacent end of the frame and entering the shaft 9 in the detent ornotch ment or too free rotation of these elements I when the device isin use.

Vhat is claimed as new is:

A manuscript holder including a supporting frame, a rotatable feeddevice mounted in one end of the frame and upon which the manuscript iscoiled, a rotatable take-up device mounted in the opposite end of theframe to which one end of the manuscript is connected, a table arrangedbetween and above said take up and feed device, a gear operativelyconnected with the take up device, a lever mounted in the frame, a pushrod normally projecting above the table and connected to the lever,means intermediate the lever and gear to operate the gear a predetermined distance upon each depression of the push rod, said push rodbeing formed with a notch to frictionally cooperate with the shaft ofthe feed device to lock the same against rotation.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES TRIPLETT. lVitnesses:

L. C. VVINFREY, W. R. GRIssoM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

